Having already waited for three long months, trainer Stephen Gray didn’t think twice about postponing smart sprinter Sure Will Do’s comeback race by another couple of weeks or even longer if it meant he could bring him on further.

The four-time winner has not raced since his second-last place in a Class 3 race over 1100m in September when he bled post-race, incurring an automatic three-month ban.

First-up, Sure Will Do  was originally meant to brave a Class 1 race over 1100m last Saturday where he would have taken on some top sprinters like Makkem Lad, Celavi and Entertainer while carrying the minimum weight of 50kgs, but he was eventually scratched.

Donna Logan's Entertainer  went on to score a brilliant win, beating into third place Sure Will Do's stablemate Darc Bounty, who is raced by the same owner, Elaine Chen.

New goal sticks could be an easier Class 3 1200m on turf, either on February 13 or one month later on March 13, but Gray will discuss with the Chen's first.

Having learned from experience with previous bleeders like Emperor Max, he would be loath to put the screws on too early.

The Per Incanto five-year-old came out for a casual spin at Thursday's barrier trials. Hard held throughout by new partner Wong Chin Chuen while coursing out three wide, he ambled along into second place to Prosperous Return.

After Gray saw the hit-out, he was glad he had bought some time.

"Sure Will Do trialled well today. I decided to skip last week's race as I felt he needed another trial," said the Kiwi handler.

"Last time, he bled. He showed no signs he was a bleeder before, we hope it's a one-off.

"He travelled really well during today's trial. CC rode him as he has been helping me with this horse as he can be strong-headed.

"CC will probably ride him when he races next. We'll see how he pulls up and I'll also scope him.

"I will then discuss with the owners whether I run him in the Class 3 1200m next week or the next one at the beginning of March.

"He's too good a horse to make any hasty decisions. Like it was with Max, we have to look after them and not rush them.

"He's a good, nice horse. We just had to get him ready and make sure he holds it together."

Whether Sure Will Do could have beaten Entertainer had he taken his berth that day is a conjecture Gray would not engage in, but he was happy enough to see old stager Darc Bounty still packing a punch at eight years of age, even if he felt the others made the third place of the son of Darci Brahma look flattering.

"Darc Bounty ran great, even if it's true the better horses didn't turn up," said Gray.

"He was held up for a run but once he got into the clear, he ran on good. Maybe other horses stopped as well.

"It's good to see him back. After he ran second back in April, he had a bone fracture to the splint bone on the back leg.

"We had to unfortunately give him a break, but I'm very happy with the way he has come back. He's a very honest horse."

Speaking of another top gun who was beset by a setback, luckily only minor, but which Gray took no chances with is Kharisma.

The 10-time winner was scratched from Wednesday's Class 1 race over 1400m. The Mossman five-year-old would have started as one of the top picks, but after he was out of the way, it was Lim's Kosciuszko who kept up his unbeaten run with a sixth win on the trot.

"He looked a bit off on Monday afternoon. He was sore behind in the heel when he walked," said Gray.

"He came right quickly after we put a poultice on the heel as you do, but yesterday morning, he was still tender, the vet came up to look at him.

"As he was carrying 59kgs, it was too risky to run him. There are too many other good races we can pick for him.

"He was badly weighted and it would have been hard to beat these horses that day. Don't worry, he might have run second or third, or even won, but I didn't want to risk it.

"It's not difficult to find another good race, but it's hard to find a good horse."